Happy Hogmanay

My house is cleaned and so am I, I'm now ready to say goodbye to 2011 & my stash of Irn Bru ㋡ Ave a good night folks!

Lap Blanket

I decided that I wasn't going to have enough yarn to make a full sized throw, so settled for a practical lap blanket.

I would love to make a full size multi coloured granny blanket one day.  I think it would be something that I would have to do on the side or in between other things.

I decided to put a fan border on it to finish it off.  It occured to me, that if I had done a full sized one, the edging alone would take a few days to do!

Seasons Greetings

★˛˚˛*˛°.˛*.˛°˛.*★˚˛*˛°.˛*.˛°˛.*★Merry*★* 。*˛.
 ˛°_██_*.。*./ ♥ \ .˛* .˛。.˛.*.★* Christmas*★ 。*
 ˛. (´• ̮•)*.。*/♫.♫\*˛.* ˛_Π_____.♥ Everyone ♥ ˛* ˛*
 .°( . • . ) ˛°./• '♫ ' •\.˛*./______/~＼*. ˛*.。˛* ˛.*。
 *(...'•'.. ) *˛╬╬╬╬╬˛°.｜田田 ｜門｜╬╬╬╬╬*˚ .˛ ...

Blanket

Ages ago I bought a cone of 4ply chenille yarn and have since gone off the colour, so I thought it a good idea to try and use it all up by crocheting a blanket.

I doubled the yarn so it's like aran weight I guess and have made a start on my squares, This should take me a while but at least it will keep me busy in the evenings.  I suppose you've gathered by now that I like to keep my hands busy.  I've made about 15 so far.

Out of Hibernation and completed!

Finally finished the Pierrot bolero, well it was hibernating for 3 months.  But it was a fabulous pattern and I adore the finished item, although it will be a while before it gets worn, now that the cold weather has arrived.

I did add an extra round of crochet for more length as I felt it too short in the sleeves for me.

Patchwork Draught Excluder

I saved all the scrappy bits from previous projects, just in case!  Well here is what I used some for. I must state that I am not into patchwork in any way.  It requires a level of patience which I have not yet achieved (I'd love to try it though), so to all quilters out there who do these things properly and tidily I salute you!

This was curtain fabric so is quite heavy and not really suited to anything but curtains and upholstery.  Still it turned out ok, I stuffed it with beanbag filling... bit messy and I think I put too much in, so will have to take some out at a later date.

The Constant Knitter

 

I honestly don't know what I will do with myself when I finish all my yarn..... I will be at a loss, I think!

So lately I've made a pair of crochet slippers for him and I'm hoping that the soles will last a lot longer than the poor socks,  still I found a solution to that by sewing a fabric sole to the sock. 

I've been knitting bonnets with the leftovers which I hope to sell a few, however I can see them ending in the charity shop.

I'm trying to save my dk yarn for a crochet blanket, I should really just crochet the squares before I use it for something else..... I'm terrible for that!

At the same time I've returned to working on the Bolero I started back in august (I think), It's a charted pattern, this is a first for me, as I'm used to written patterns.  Fortunately it was simple enough to follow and I hope to finish the final round of crochet tonight.

The photo is a sneak preview, I used Zettl nadine yarn from lidl I have to say it was the best €9.99 I spent, as it was perfect for this pattern.

And lastly I forgot to add the little phone sock which was just a little fun thing to do to relax.

Usefull uses for seemingly useless things

You know, I often wondered what, if anything I could do with the fluff from the tumble dryer.   Well now I have found a use for it.......but it's going to take a while to collect enough, still waste not want not!

I will be interested to see how good they work.  So if you have some fluff, empty toilet roll tubes and paper to hand, head along to Homemade Mamas page for some DIY.

Of course you can use the tubes for all sorts of other things too  like sweet parcels, crackers etc..

A Little Excursion

Since it was a nice day yesterday we decided to go for a little tour. We were a little late in leaving, thanks to a lazy lump so I didn't get as far as originally planned.  

We went to Killarney National Park, well just a very small part of it and stretched our legs, only to be stopped by a big puddle on the walk, well I had my wellies so I could've carried on ;)  which I did for a few yards or I wouldn't have got these two photos.

 

I just love the autumn colours in the second one, well if I'd been the one in boots I would have gone through that puddle with them or barefoot........ wouldn't be the first time, nor the last!

So after returning to the car it was time to resume the exploration, which entailed the twisty and curviest road that I have ever been on. This lead to my next photo of Ladies View.

 

At this time of year the colours are really contrasting and can really make the view that you see.  We continued on to Moll's Gap, turned towards Kenmare and headed out towards Sneem.  We stopped for our packed lunch by the sea at Templenoe (I think), basically we just took a left turn in the hope that it would take us to the sea.  Where we feasted on potato salad and fritatta which I made the night before...Yum!!

We wanted to be on a familiar road before dark so when we reached Sneem we took the other road to Moll's Gap, which had some breath taking views too.  Needless to say it was dark by the time we got to Tralee, and the low beam wasn't working on one side (again) so have to send the car to the garage to have that sorted before I feel like I have only one good eye!! That's the first time we used the car since the new bulb went in so it's something electrical, hopefully cheap!!

Reclaimed Aran Sweater

You might recognize the yarn from the carlito crew cardi that I made earlier.  Well it had lost it's shape and had bobbled big time. Since I don't like waste, I decided it was going to get a new life as a sweater, I was worried I wouldn't have enough to finish the sleeves as the yardage is less 2nd time around, but I did  phew!!

The pattern came from Viking Patterns for knitting, although I changed the sleeves to set in and added an extra pattern repeat at the bottom otherwise it would have only reached my bellybutton.....lol  not good!  I intend to be warm this winter.

If you want to see better pictures go to Ravelry and view the others great works.

The Crumble

This is the first time I've actually tried to make a crumble myself.  For some reason I got a craving yesterday for one.  Unfortunately the pears were past their best and I had to wait until I got some apples today before having a go.

I used James Martins recipe as a guide, tweaking it a little by adding a pinch of cinnamon  to the apples and a pinch of ginger in the crumble, I also used soft brown sugar/granulated sugar (50/50). As well as using wheat free flour.  Should be cool enough to have now with some custard.... Yummy!!

Sunset Shadow

Spent the afternoon trying to sort out the mess in the driveway, after the tree boughs snapped a couple of weeks ago.  We're getting there slowly but surely, and we'll have some logs for the fire for those super frosty nights that are no doubt on the way!

I had a little fire with all the little twiggy bits, or a gelly as we call it back home! And for a minute or two when the sun was setting I had this spooky shadow on the end wall.  I just managed to run inside and get the camera out in time!

Shame it's a bit late for Halloween!!


While I'm at it I think I'll share a photo my daughter took on bonfire night (c) E Macaulay. I think it is amazing.

Bike Cosy?!

A while back I noticed a trend in covering objects in knits or crochet.  I'm certain this trend has been around for ages, long before it featured in adverts.  The simple tea cosy has been adapted to fit anything and everything.

It's a great art form, but somehow I don't think my Brother would be very happy to find his pride and joy kitted up like this  ;o)  Not that I'd waste my wool on it, be much more practical in a blanket!

Dog Lover has a whole new meaning now..........

Ok whilst on my search for a suitable image to put on the front of my disk of knitting patterns, I came across this book.

Now it doesn't sound very appealing to make a sweater out of dog hair does it?  It made me think back to when I had a dog, she was a collie cross, to be honest the vet thought she was like a bag of allsorts. 

She had this remarkable white speckled coat which was so soft and fluffy, it would have been perfect  for spinning, I think.

We used to dread the time of year when it was time to cast..... I could have stuffed a few pillowcases every-time she got brushed.  come to think of it the rabbit could have contributed to the mix too.

I think I really missed a good opportunity back then, if only I'd had the time and the interest in that side of being a knitter!!  Although I don't know what the dog would have to say about it.....lol

Legwarmers

I had this idea that it would be great to have legwarmers for the upcoming winter. I was thinking I could wear them with leggings over my boots, hoping that I would actually get to wear the boots for a change {wish I'd got flat ones} and that it wouldn't matter if they were brown or black.

Sooo I chose to make the Drops cable ones that look more like footless socks on the model.  however the amount of stitches that you're asked to cast on is ridiculous. There's definitely something wrong there! I tried 90sts and it was still too loose, so went down to 80, it has to be in multiples of 10 stitches because of the cable pattern. It looks ok and I'm hoping they stay up, I have decreased on every second cable twist down to 60 sts which made it about 22 inches long, I worked another two rib pattern repeats.

I'm not convinced they will stay up, even though they are a good fit.  I like them, but I hope never to knit with pure black yarn again after this!  Says the one who's  next project is likely to be with reclaimed blackwatch  aran.

Cardigan complete

 

Haven't blocked it as I think it's going to be ok as is.  Worked the single crochet all way round the edge adding another row on front where the zipper is. Also put crochet tabs on the collar for button closure. 

I expect my DH will be wearing it before it gets a wash.... he was wearing the last one before I got the buttons for it.

I think it would have been great with a fleece lining but he said that he didn't want  that.

The Sleeve

The Sleeve worked out great.  CO 42, worked 10 rows 2x2 rib. Increases on the 1st and every 8th row until 72 sts, it measured about 22 1/4 inches long. armhole shaping cast off 4 sts at begining of next 2 rows, 3sts on next 2 rows, then decreased at each end every 3rd row 11 times [36sts].

 Cast off 3 sts at beg of next 6 rows. Cast off remaining 18 sts.

Just to make sure I quickly stitched it all together and had himself try it on and it is a good fit, so the second sleeve is on the way up and at some point I have to go hunting for a very long zipper, but that'll be when everything is knitted and sewn, as I want to have the right length.

Soups ~ Day 7

CHILLED CREAM OF SMOKED SALMON SOUP Serves 6

50g [2oz] butter

1 onion chopped

1 garlic clove finely chopped

250g [8oz] smoked salmon finely chopped

3 tablespoons plain flour

900ml [1 ½ pints] chicken stock

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 bay leaf

¼ teaspoon paprika

150ml [¼] pint single cream

125g [4oz] cooked peeled prawns

1 teaspoon Dill

seasoning

1. melt the butter in a pan add onion and garlic, cook over a moderate heat for 1 minute. Add salmon cook for 1 minute, stirring. Stir in flour, gradually add stock. Stirring constantly bring to the boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 mins.
2. Add lemon juice, bay leaf and paprika. Season and simmer for 5-8 mins. Remove from heat and leave to cool, remove bay leaf.
3. Blend the soup until smooth, stir in cream, prawns and chopped dill. Cool and cover closely. Chill in fridge for 3-4 hours or overnight
4. Serve in chilled bowls with a pinch of dill.

Aran Jacket ~ sleeves

Well I started the notorious sleeves, I cast on and worked some 2x2 rib then started the increases which I've chosen to do every 8th row.  Looks ok and not too wide at the moment but I still have a few inches to go before I start the sleeve shaping. 

The whole pattern was too short anyway but I always lengthen knitwear so that is nothing new to me, it's the way my mum taught me.

I'll know by the end of this evening whether I've done it right or not.  I've been doing back to back knitting for the past year now, I think I'm becoming obsessive! 

Soups ~ Day 6

Since pumpkins are in stores  now

TUSCAN PUMPKIN SOUP          Serves 6

1 tablespoon sunflower oil

1 kg [2lb] pumpkin, peeled, deseeded and cut into 2.5cm [1inch] cubes

1 onion chopped

250g [8oz] carrots diced

1 celery stick sliced

2 teaspoons curry powder

1 tablespoon wholewheat flour

1.2l [2 pints] chicken stock

250g [8oz] bacon trimmed of fat and diced

seasoning

Nutmeg

1. heat the oil, add pumpkin, onion, carrot and celery. Cook over a moderate heat for 5 mins until lightly browned. Stir in curry powder and cook for 1 min. stir in flour remove from heat and add stock.
2. Blend the soup.
3. Fry bacon for 3-4 mins stirring constantly. Remove and drain on kitchen roll. Then add to the soup. Taste and season, bring to the boil and simmer gently for 5 mins.
4. Serve and garnish with nutmeg.

Soups Day 5

RICE SOUP WITH MINCED PORK Serves 4

3 fresh coriander roots roughly chopped

3 Garlic cloves roughly chopped

¼ teaspoon white pepper

400g [13oz] minced Pork

1.8l [3 pints] vegetable stock

3 tablespoons light soy sauce

1 tablespoon preserved radish, finely chopped [optional]

625g [1 1/4lb] boiled jasmine rice

2.5cm [1 inch] piece root ginger, peeled and thinly sliced

50g [2oz] Chinese cabbage leaves, roughly chopped

To Serve: 2 Spring onions finely chopped

fresh coriander

White pepper

1. Put coriander roots, garlic & pepper in a mortar and pound to form a smooth paste
2. Mix the paste with the minced pork
3. Put the stock in the pan and bring to the boil. Add the soy sauce, radish and rice.
4. Shape the pork into small balls, drop into the soup and cook for 3 mins
5. Add ginger & cabbage. Cook for a further 1-2 minutes. Serve garnished with coriander leaves and spring onions, season to taste.

*chicken or prawns can be used instead of pork. The Chinese cabbage if not available could be substituted with spinach.

When I made this recipe I used basamati rice and a leafy green cabbage and cooked it a little longer.

It is a light oriental soup which is very filling.

Soups ~ Day 4

Good way to use up that leftover turnip.

BACON & TURNIP SOUP Serves 6

25g [1oz] Butter

125g [4oz] rindless smoked Bacon, roughly chopped

1 Onion roughly chopped

375g [12oz] Potatoes chopped

750g [1 ½ lbs] Turnip chopped

1.2l [2 pints] chicken stock

1 Bay Leaf

1 small Sprig of Thyme

150ml [¼ pint] Milk

Seasoning

Finely chopped parsley to garnish

1. Melt the butter in a pan, add bacon cook until crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon
2. Add onion, potato, & turnip, cook over a low heat for about 5 mins. Add stock, bay leaf & thyme, bring to the boil, reduce heat and simmer gently for 30 – 35 mins until all veg are tender. Remove and discard the bay leaf and thyme.
3. Blend the soup until smooth. Return to pan along with bacon and milk and heat gently. Serve with a sprinkling of parsley.

Winter Knit for Him

I'm currently working on an Aran Jacket for the other half at the moment.  I was lucky to get the last 2 balls in aldi a couple of weeks back.  The pattern is plain, something most men will like.

I cast on the size 44 and realised that this was way too big, even on the 4.5mm needles which I chose to knit it on.  I've ended up making the 39 which is going to fit him no bother, since this is my second Interweave knit I am noticing that you can normally make it one size smaller than asked as a rule.

It's going well so far, I've completed the back and left front so far. I suppose I should see if the zip I have will fit or if I will need to order one.  Perhaps I could modify the collar to have buttons instead........ well that's a thought for later, in case it's not long enough I have a back-up plan of crocheting a band around the hem  with a button closure.  I'll just have to see how it goes.

I'm not looking forward to the sleeves as everyone is complaining that they are too wide, however that should be easy enough to sort.....

Soups Day 3

Day 3 ~ One our favourite recipes from the book!

GOULASH SOUP Serves 6

3 Tablespoons olive oil

750g [1 1/2 lb] boneless lean beef, diced

2 onions finely chopped

2 Garlic cloves finely chopped

2 Celery sticks, sliced

3 Tablespoons paprika

1 Tablespoon caraway seeds

1.2l [2 pints] beef stock

600ml [1 pint] water

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

2 Bay leaves

1/4 teaspoon Tabasco sauce

3 Tablespoons tomato purée

250g [8 oz] Potatoes, cut into 1cm [1/2 inch] cubes

3 Carrots, cut into 1cm [1/2 inch] cubes

6-8 teaspoons soured Cream [Optional]

1. heat the oil, add the beef in batches cook until browned. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper. Add onion, garlic and celery cook for 5 mins until soft.
2. Remove pan from heat and stir in Paprika, caraway, stock and water. Add thyme, bay leaves, Tabasco and tomato purée. Stir well and add the beef. Bring to the boil and simmer for about 30 mins.
3. Add the potatoes and carrots, simmer a further 30 mins until potatoes are tender. Remove and discard the bay leaves. Serve and garnish with soured cream if desired.

*Note

I don't bother with the soured cream and usually boil some pasta to add to my other halfs serving ~ he's a pasta addict and I have a wheat intolerance but sometimes I use corn pasta.

I sometimes reduce the fluids to make a stew and if there's any leftovers I add more fluid and have as soup the next day.

Soups Day 2

Day 2.... not from the book but an edited faster version of yesterdays.

LENTILS WITH KABANOSSI. Serves 6

375g [12oz] split Red lentils

1 tablespoons Olive oil

Kabanossi sausage, thinly sliced

1 Onion finely chopped

2 Garlic cloves finely chopped

1.2l [2 pints] Vegetable Stock

900ml [1 1/2 pints] water

1 Bay leaf

1 Sprig of Thyme

3 Carrots, quartered and thinly sliced.

Seasoning

1. Heat the oil in a large pan, add Kabanossi and cook on moderate heat for 5 mins until browned. Remove with a slotted spoon, leave to drain on kitchen roll.
2. Add onion and garlic cook on moderate heat for 5 mins until soft. Add lentils, stock, water, bay leaf and thyme, bring to the boil, skimming off the scum. Reduce heat and Add carrots partially cover and simmer stirring occasionally for about 30-40 mins until lentils are well cooked.
3. Remove the bay leaf and blend the soup at this point. Season to taste. Add Kabanossi, heat for a further 5 mins. Serve.

Soups Day 1

A few years back my mum bought me a book called “SOUPS – over 200 of the best recipes”. I have to say I'm not a fan of cookery books, mainly because you have all these fancy recipes that require a pile of ingredients that are not in my cupboard!  But I really like this one.

I decided to share some of these here.......sort of a soup for every day of the week. So for Day 1.

YELLOW PEA SOUP WITH CHORIZO. A Spicey pulse-based soup. Serves 6

375g [12oz] split yellow peas, soaked overnight in cold water.

2 tablespoons Olive oil

Chorizo sausage, thinly sliced

1 Onion finely chopped

2 Garlic cloves finely chopped

1.2l [2 pints] Chicken Stock

900ml [1 1/2 pints] water

1 Bay leaf

1 Sprig of Thyme

3 Carrots, quartered and thinly sliced.

Salt

1. Drain the soaked peas and rinse
2. heat the oil in a large pan, add chorizo and cook on moderate heat for 5 mins until browned. Remove with a slotted spoon, leave to drain on kitchen roll. Retain 1 tablespoon of oil in pan.
3. Add onion and garlic cook on moderate heat for 5 mins until soft. Add peas, stock, water, bay leaf and thyme, bring to the boil, skimming off the scum. Reduce heat and partially cover and simmer stirring occasionally for 1 1/4 hours.
4. Add carrots and cook for a further 30 mins until tender. Season to taste. Remove the bay leaf and add chorizo, heat for a further 10 mins. Serve.

Another productive day..... kind of

Ok so this was late last night early this morning. I had to run up a birthday card for the DH, since I couldn't get rid of him in town on shopping day to buy one.  Still it turned out ok in my half sleepy state and on the inside it just read "....... for tea & cake!!!  Happy birthday!"  Well it was all I could come up with at that time in the morning.

Anyway I got up early and baked a cake for him to go with it. And I'm off in a minute to cook his steak dinner.

He had his spending spree yesterday so I guess he's content for now ;o)

He kept me busy today on the sewing machine, it's not often a man asks you to make curtains now is it?  Now they're not anything spectacular or fancy for that matter. Even the pattern runs from left to right  rather than up and down, but hey the front porch isn't used much and it's concrete.

I used the only fabric that I had big enough to fit, added some other fabric to edge the top and used hoops from a belt for the curtain rings.  The pole we bought yesterday, think it's supposed to be for a shower?!

Once all that was finally done, I decided to make a cover for the steering wheel.  This is because I have too many allergic reactions to stuff, and strongly suspect that the car steering may be causing my skin reaction on my hand.  This I've had for years and it has only now occurred to me to make a cover, at least that way it will always be covered and I won't be forgetting to protect my skin when driving.

Basically  you measure the steering wheel circumference. Take that measurement and cut the fabric on the stretch way, to fit that length when stretched.  Mine was 46 inches and the fabric was 42" unstretched.  Then I cut it 5 inches  wide, sewed the ends together so that I had a hoop. Folded the outer edges 1.5 cm and stitched, leaving a gap for the elastic. {The elastic I also stretched to 46 before cutting}, did this to both edges, threaded through the 1/2cm wide elastic and stitched everything in place.  In the end the cover was 3.5 inches wide and fitted perfectly.

I love it and it's such a tight fit that it doesn't slide, another bonus is that it is easy to wash too!!

I've just noticed that it is 1 year today since I started blogging.......... where does the time go?! 

Knitted Boots

Ok so now that I've actually finished these....no thanks to the DH or DOH (Dopey Other Half) as he broke my smaller curved upholstery needle.... So he's in the Sin Bin for the day!!!

Just a finished wearable pic and one so you can see the actual pattern clearly.  They turned out to be a size 7-8 in the end so  I think I could have bought a size 6 espadrille for the sole and gotten a good fit for my 7 1/2 feet.

Still I'm looking forward to wearing them when it gets cold enough...... hopefully a good few months away yet!

Boot Update 2

I've finished the first complete boot at last, I have to say I can't wait to get the second on done. They will be ready for my winter ice-block feet just in time I think, oh and they are so cosy too, with that nice thick sole I should be as warm as toast.

I'm really pleased with the finished result this time as it is a really snug fit and I'm not losing the soles when I walk.  Like I said previously I took 10sts out from each piece. I did work a row or two to join the two pieces together so that it would be easier to sew to the soles. I also stitched up the sides about 3 inches at the bottom. Then I crocheted up the edges adding 4 loops for the ties on each side.  I was lazy on the ties too, I just doubled the yarn and used a 4mm hook and chained a length for the laces

What will you find in your Driveway?

Apart from the gravel and the mountain of weeds that it seems to attract every year, you might find a lot of things waiting for you in the driveway........some welcome and some not!

Usually all I have is gravel and a hoard of weeds, along with the stalker cats......lol  Well it was tidy up about the house this week..........or try to..... and I thought I'd start of with the big weeds that were starting to think that they lived here! So when that was done it was the little ones turn to get evicted, so you can imagine my suprise when I pulled this out of the gravel!!! 

 Yep that is a mini carrot........ makes you wonder how it got there?  The only thing I can come up with is that the birds put it there...  still it did amuse me for a while!

Boot update number 1

Just when I thought I was finished! They turned out HUGE!!! and it was near impossible to walk in them. Soooooo I have disassembled them ( how I hate doing that) and started over with 10sts less this time.  This might just be too many less but it's a lot easier to add to the edges than to take away!

Well at least I got to leave the fleece on the soles...;o)

Winter Aran Slipper Boots

I started this pattern a couple of evenings ago and have reached the point where I have to join the back and front, although I'm not ready for that just yet.  

Today was a flying visit to Penneys for fleece and with a bit of hope, something to do the soles.  I came out with this gorgeous paisley fleece for the lining and found espadrilles in the mens dept for a euro, plan just to use the soles.

I'm already wishing I had a glue gun, but I think I will be able to sew it all together.......actually I'm wondering if I was wise to tackle this, since I just looked at the photos and thought I want to do that ...... thinking they would be a lot like a sock.........duh not!!  But could be!  Anyway I have a rough idea of what comes next in the knit part and how it's all going to go together....supposedly.  That will require a good day and a clear head.

In the meantime I'm just going to knit up the second one whilst I think about it all.

Granny Slippers

Having left my other crochet slippers in the lost corner of the Hebrides, I decided to use the remainder of the wool from the hats to make a pair of Hex boots. I'm new to crochet but these went really fast.....well except for the soles which were rectangles and really are NOT good once assembled. So after about the 3rd attempt on the sole I got what I thought would be as good as it could be.  Because of the hex they are slightly wide at the heel, some have changed the hexs here for a neat fit but I didn't want to lose the look.

I used 2 strands of aran for thick soles and started and finished with 4 sts. For non slip I added blobs of silicone to the soles. I know you can buy stuff especially for this but not near me and I couldn't wait for delivery, anyway the silicone does the job just as well and didn't come off in the wash ..... although it may do in the future.

I think if I'd had enough yarn I would have added 2 more hexs on top for a boot type. These are quite cosy for the time being. 

The original pattern can be found here and you can find mods on Ravelry.

Chullo two

Well I remade it with my own design and reworked the crown again for a better fit.  I wasn't too sure about the main chart whilst I was knitting it, but it seems to have turned out alright, although it is not the look that was intended.

Skull Chullo

Well I'm back from my Scottish road trip, the weather was great, so I think my timing was perfect for a change and with 640 miles each way and 6 hours on the ferries you really want good weather!!

Thanks to my mum I came home with a whole box of aran odd balls, so I'm really chuffed about that, there's even a hank of pure hand-spun wool in there!!

I decided to give the Ski Skulls pattern a go, although I never thought it would be big enough for my head, however it is, but think it is better suited to my daughter..... who said no thanks so have put it up for sale.

I found the crown too long so ended up taking it back to do the decreases on every row for a better fit.

So now that it's done I'm hoping to make another one for myself...minus the skulls.....just searching for a replacement chart, might even have to try my own, we'll see!

Ragdolls

After the Hoover cover I thought I may as well make a couple of rag-dolls before I tidy up everything and take off on my trip.

Having quite a few bit of scrap fabric to use up, this was an ideal project. I used the same tutorial I found earlier for the pattern, just that I made the legs longer.

I'm quiet liking the toy making, although I am a bit lazy on the clothes here. They were looking a bit ghostly so I added a splash of colour with some tee shirt trimmings.

Multi Purpose Bag

Well here it is, after 3 days of sewing.  Well partial days..lol. I finished it this afternoon and am totally pleased with myself.  It's styled on a bowling bag and I was really hoping that when it was finished I would be able to get the sewing machine into it.

I learnt the basics of bag making on Creative Cutie and have improved with each bag.......Well I like to think so anyway, I can certainly say that I have gone from being terrified to confident thanks to Daphna's blog.

I made it from curtain fabric that I was lucky enough to receive a year ago and still have a load left.  I didn't bother with interfacing as the fabric is so thick and I don't think my machine would have gone along with all that labour..... I suppose it's due a pamper after all that hard work.

I drafted the pattern and cut all the pieces sewed the pockets on, sewed the outside together, then the inside, the design bit is a pocket, then did the zipper bit. Sewed the lining to the zip bit leaving a gap to turn the bag through at the end. Sewed the outside to the matching zipper side, leaving the zip open, finished all the raw edges...... this takes a while and a lot of thread!   Then the magic part comes when you pull it all right side out, tuck the lining inside and stitch up the gap.  Job done!

I really didn't think the machine would fit through the zip, but where there's a will sometimes there's a way, and boy was I happy when I found the way to do it......Hooray!!  I'm so glad that this will be in use all the time.  I can use it for a weekend away, overnight stay and sewing machine bag.  How good it that!!

Time to dust off the Sewing machine!

 Seems so long ago since I made the vacuum cover...... it's not I know but I had a little of this dotty fabric left since making a peg bag and didn't know what quite to do with it, until today.  I'm going on a wee trip and have just realised I don't have a toiletries bag..... strange thing that, come to think of it I can't even remember the last one.. that is if I had one!?

I lined it with a plastic lining and of course since it's been a while since I made one of these I forgot to leave the vital gap for turning right side out....... happens every time! I've also added a beaded pull to the zipper which is pretty much invisible for a change.

 

 








 


I thought I may as well make a matching small make-up bag too while I'm at it, but since I've no little zippers left it had to be hoop n loop this time. I'm not much of a make-up kind of girl, sensitive skin and all that, but I do wear it when I go out....... and when you take a trip you do get out a bit!

I've started a bag too but goodness only knows how that'll turn out. Cut all the bits and sewn the zipper today and then life called me back to reality....... hopefully the brain will function a bit better when I get the chance to tackle it again. ;o)